Safpu sceptical of Safa's new rules

With the new rules barring foreign goalkeepers from playing in the Safa Hollywoodbets Women's League, SA Football Players Union (Safpu) president Thulaganyo Gaoshubelwe is supporting the idea as long as it will benefit the country and the sport.

Two weeks ago, Safa technical director Walter Steenbok issued a circular confirming a list of new requirements, and one of them is that there will be no more foreign keepers in the Women's League.

Gaoshubelwe feels it will be very difficult to implement the rule, but added that it was good as it serves the interest of local goalkeepers. "I think a lot of organisations sometimes need to be patriotic. You sit and say, 'where do we want to go as a country?'" Gaoshubelwe told Sowetan.

"In terms of labour relations, you may not bring anything that is not scarce [skill] when you have the competency in the country. When you have a competency in the country, you will sit with that and you may not appoint anything [from another country] and you will sit with the local.

"But the question is, how do we ensure that this Women's League is able to compete so that you don't find yourself having only foreign-based players?"

The other requirement is that Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs must have a minimum of two junior teams, boys and girls, registered with the local football association from the start of next season.

Asked where the teams will get money from as some are currently struggling to even pay players, Gaoshubelwe said this would be difficult for the teams as Safa is struggling financially as well.

"Safa itself is struggling and they need to change and say, 'what is it that we are going to do right now'. As an authority on football, they must go out there and get sponsorship," he said.

"It is a good thing, that decision is one of the best, but they need to have money but they are struggling at this point."